The Things We Accept
by AislingK
Summary: Gibbs and Jenny have a showdown over discipline when Tim screws up. Warning: Contains the disciplinary spanking of adults.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: The Things We Accept

**Disclaimer**: These characters belong to Donald Bellisario, and I hope he won't mind that I've borrowed them once again. The story is not connected to any particular episode or storyline from NCIS.

**Warning**: This story contains the disciplinary **spanking** of adults. If that's not your thing, it would be best if you didn't read it, or at least that you refrain from telling me about your displeasure.

* * *

"What the hell were you thinking, McGee?" Ziva demanded in a loud whisper.

"I don't know." Tim replied miserably. "It seemed like it made sense at the time."

"Really? A baseball?" Ziva wouldn't relent.

"Tony did it with a rock once." Tim protested.

"Not when someone was in the house!" Tony retorted, as though that made it more acceptable.

"Well I didn't know someone was in the house when I did it!" Tim sounded a bit indignant.

Despite her genuine anger, Jenny couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for Tim as she surreptitiously watched the other two agents berate him. She knew that each one of them had done something in the past that wasn't quite above board if it had seemed beneficial to an investigation, or just simpler than the officially sanctioned alternative. It was sheer luck that sometimes you got away with it, and sometimes you didn't. This time Tim had taken a gamble, and lost spectacularly. Jenny could tell how badly Tim felt, and she knew that he didn't need his teammates pointing out to him what an idiotic thing he had done, or acting self-righteous about it. Of course, from her past experience as an agent she also knew that that was what teammates did – in a crisis they would risk their own lives to protect each other, but once the danger had passed there was no shortage of good-natured mockery.

Unfortunately for Tim, Jenny was no longer anyone's teammate. She was the agency director, and she'd gotten quite an earful from Colonel Wallace Austin, the base commander at Quantico, after Tim decided that the best way to gain entrance to a house without a warrant was with an "errant" baseball. Tim could not have predicted that the house would be occupied by its less-than-savory tenant and his girlfriend, who just happened to be Colonel Austin's teenage daughter. Still, Tim had done something stupid and risky, and now he'd have to face the music.

"Well, McCurveball, you certainly picked the right house to break into. How long did it take till Jailbait was on her cell phone to Daddy?" Tony taunted.

Tim groaned in agony and let his head fall to the desk. "Gibbs is going to kill me!"

"Oh, he's not the only one."

At the sound of their director's voice, a startled Tony and Ziva broke their huddle around Tim's desk, and all three agents turned to face her.

Jenny knew that she didn't instill the kind of fear into them that Gibbs could, but she did wield enough official power that her unexpected presence caused anxiety, especially for Tim. He looked stricken at the realization that she'd been listening to their conversation, and likely already knew everything that he'd done.

"On your feet, McGee. Apparently we have some issues to discuss."

Tim scrambled to stand up. "Director, what happened at the house today…"

Jenny cut him off sharply. "You and I will have this conversation in private, in my office." She turned and strode away, not waiting to see if Tim was following, though she knew that he would be. As she headed upstairs, she pushed aside all feelings of sympathy, and focused on being the stern director that was required under the circumstances.


	2. Chapter 2

Jenny stood silently behind her desk for a few moments. Tim shifted uncomfortably on his feet, clearly unsure whether she expected him to initiate the conversation. She replayed Colonel Austin's furious tirade in her mind in order to focus her thoughts before beginning to speak. Finally she felt ready to deal with the situation.

"Special Agent McGee, would you care to tell me how it was that a baseball came to be thrown into the window of Lucas Pearson's front door?

"It was, um…there was no answer when I knocked," Tim stammered. "And then it was just there, and I remembered this other time that Tony…I mean…I'm not sure. I just threw it."

Jenny stared at the junior agent. At this moment it was a bit hard to remember how good Tim was at his job. It was also blatantly clear that Tim had not spent much time in the principal's office growing up.

"Would you care to try that explanation again, McGee? Perhaps a bit more coherently this time?"

Tim nodded and took a deep breath.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry. I went to the house because we received calls about unusual activity there lately. I mean, at night. And someone suggested, well, that he might have been involved in the disappearance of Lauren DiCarlo."

"Someone suggested? What, exactly, does that mean?"

"Ma'am?"

"Was there credible evidence that linked Pearson to the case?"

Tim looked uncomfortable. "The credibility of the evidence was, well…it hadn't really been established yet."

"So what you are telling me, Agent McGee, is that there would not have been grounds for a warrant to search the premises if Pearson didn't let you in voluntarily."

Tim shifted on his feet and didn't answer.

"McGee!"

"No, ma'am. Probably not."

"So after you knocked and didn't get an answer, you assumed that no one was home and you decided to take matters into your own hands…" Before she could complete her sentence, the office door flung open and her senior agent burst into the room without invitation. Jenny sighed internally. She should have expected this.

"Gibbs, I am in the middle of a conversation with Agent McGee about his misconduct and the repercussions of his actions."

"So it would seem." Gibbs said drily. "I've only just been made aware of McGee's actions, so I'll take it from here."

Jenny saw Tim wince slightly.

"Special Agent Gibbs," she began smoothly, "I appreciate your good intentions, but this incident goes beyond the level of the senior field agent's authority. I will be handling McGee's discipline in this matter."

"This incident doesn't go beyond the level of my ass, and you know it. If Tim had broken anyone else's window you wouldn't know if the entire Georgetown football team was found inside. You know perfectly well that this is only on your desk because a decorated colonel has your direct line on his speed dial." Gibbs' eyes flashed as he spoke. Jenny knew that there was very little that he hated more than politics.

There was some truth to what Gibbs was saying, of course, but it was not out of line for her to take over the discipline of an agent at her own discretion, and it was most definitely out of line for her senior agent to challenge her authority in front of a junior member of his team. Jenny decided to ignore Gibbs' provocative insinuation, and instead redirected her attention towards Tim, who appeared half-terrified and half-fascinated by the pissing contest that was unfolding in front of him. She willed herself to sound calm but commanding when she spoke.

"McGee, it may be true that the fact that your baseball had the misfortune of landing in a house containing Colonel Austin's daughter Harmony did indeed hasten my awareness of the incident. However, this does not imply that your actions would not have been taken equally seriously by me had you chosen to break into a building with less prominent occupants, or an empty shack for that matter. You committed a crime, Agent McGee." Jenny saw Tim's eyes get wide at the word 'crime'. She continued, "The Colonel had every right to press charges against you. I convinced him that this was not necessary by assuring him that NCIS takes such matters very seriously, and that I personally would hold you accountable for your actions and see to it that adequate sanctions were imposed."

Jenny paused. She could see that on top of his anger at not being in control of the situation, Gibbs was now predictably exasperated by her lengthy build-up to the actual disciplinary consequences. But Jenny knew that both the content of her message and its presentation were having an effect on Tim. His face had paled and his earlier fidgeting had stopped, his feet now riveted solidly to the ground. As she'd hoped, her words and her manner were driving home the gravity of the situation.

"You are not a new agent, McGee. Frankly, I expected better than this from you, and I'm deeply disappointed. This was not an accident, and I believe that you were well aware in the moment that you were violating both agency regulations and the law when you threw a baseball into a window in order to gain access to a private residence. As such, I think that the appropriate penalty is a three day suspension and a notation in your file."

Tim gasped.

"Please, Director – ma'am. I know this was bad, but I promise it's not going to happen again. I wasn't thinking…"

His pleas were cut off by a sharp command by Gibbs. "Tim, wait outside."

Jenny glared at her senior agent. "That's not your call, Agent Gibbs."

"You are disciplining a member of my team, _Director_." Jenny bristled at the way he drew out her title. "At the very least I believe you owe me the respect of discussing the matter in private before you make any final decisions."

Frankly, Jenny did not think that she owed Gibbs any such thing under the circumstances, and she also knew that Gibbs was not in the least bit concerned about respect. The plain truth of the matter was that Gibbs liked to handle discipline for his team in his own unique way, and he had no intention of letting her take that power away from him, even if she was indisputably above him in the chain of command.

That said, she prided herself on both being and appearing fair to her subordinates, and a bewildered Tim was watching the scene unfold in front of him, which was simply unacceptable. Jenny could not let Tim continue to witness the power struggle between herself and her former partner, between his boss and his boss's boss.

"Very well," she said curtly. Jenny nodded at Tim. "Please step outside, Agent McGee. We will call you back in a moment."

It irked Jenny to see Tim glance first at Gibbs, as though now Gibbs might direct him to stay, just to contradict her. When no such instruction came, Tim hurried to the door, turning and watching them both for a second before pulling the door quietly shut behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

Jenny was furious. "You had no right…" she began icily.

"I had every right. Tim's my agent, and his discipline falls to me."

"Not when he breaks the law."

"Give it a rest, Jen. You and I both know that plenty of minor laws get broken in the course of an investigation."

"Aggravated burglary is not a _minor law_, Jethro."

"No one was going to charge Tim with aggravated burglary. Colonel Austin is pissed because his 17 year old daughter was found in a house having sex with a greasy-haired 26 year old hoodlum, and Tim's an easy target for his anger. Besides which, you know that I'm not proposing that Tim get away scot-free. I just think that you should let me handle this matter internally."

There it was. Jenny knew this was coming. Discussions of discipline with Gibbs always found their way to this point.

"Jethro, I cannot call Tim back in here and tell him that I'm handing him over to you for a whipping."

"Then don't."

Now Jenny was confused. Had she misunderstood his intentions? It seemed impossible – she'd known him too long, and had too much experience in these matters with him.

"You just said that you wanted to handle the matter internally. I presumed that you meant…"

"I did."

"Then what the hell are you suggesting?"

"Give Tim the choice."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You're right. It would be inappropriate for you to sentence Tim to be whipped by me. But we both know that getting a suspension and a black mark in his personnel file is going to be more damaging to him than anything my belt could do to his ass. So call him back in here, and give him the choice."

Jenny stared at Gibbs. This was preposterous. Possibly the only thing more absurd than her ordering Tim to take a spanking from his boss was her asking him if he'd _like _to take a spanking from his boss. But she had to agree with Gibbs that the long-term career ramifications of a formal write-up in his file were extremely severe. Tim was an excellent agent who too often got overlooked because of his gentle demeanor and awkwardness in the face of testosterone-laden situations. Jenny held a particular fondness for Tim, and she felt more protective of him than the other agents.

"McGee won't opt for the spanking." Jenny stated.

"You would have."

Jenny was surprised to hear Gibbs say it, but she knew it was true.

"Tim's not me."

"I think you underestimate him."

Jenny and Gibbs each stood their ground for a few moments as they engaged in a silent showdown. Finally, Jenny pushed the intercom button.

"Cynthia, please send Agent McGee back in."

A few seconds passed before the door opened just enough for Tim to slip himself into the room. His time outside had evidently not minimized his anguish. Tim's eyes darted between his two superiors, unsure as to who had been triumphant and now held his fate in their hands.

Jenny began to speak and Tim immediately focused his attention in her direction.

"As I said before you stepped out, my official decision is to suspend you and file a formal incident report. I believe this is a fair and warranted consequence of your actions. However, Agent Gibbs has convinced me to give you a choice. You may accept the suspension, or you may elect to have Gibbs handle your punishment more…informally."

Jenny watched Tim processing what she was saying, and knew the exact moment that the implication of her proposal registered in his mind.

"I presume you understand what I mean by this?" Jenny felt it was important to clarify this, even though she had no doubt that Tim fully comprehended what Gibbs was offering.

Tim nodded slowly, still too stunned to speak.

"I want you to understand, the choice is entirely yours. I don't want you to feel any pressure…"

"I choose Gibbs."

Jenny was thrown off by the speed and forcefulness of his answer.

"Tim, I think it's important that you consider …"

"He's made his choice, Director."

Jenny shot a quick glower at Gibbs, who she thought sounded a bit smug. She turned back to the junior agent.

"Are you sure, Tim?"

"If I let Gibbs, um, handle it, then there won't be any record? In my file, I mean?" A nervous quiver had returned to Tim's voice.

"That's right."

"Then I've decided. That's what I want."

Jenny could see that Tim was scared, but he spoke with an assuredness that she couldn't ignore.

"All right. I'm going to take Cynthia across the street for a cup of coffee. I expect this to be done when I get back."

She left the room without looking at Gibbs, her mind reeling from what had just transpired.


	4. Chapter 4

Cynthia hadn't known what to make of the mid-afternoon coffee excursion, but Jenny cheerily made it sound like they both deserved a reward for working too hard, and her assistant hadn't probed any further. She made sure that they chatted over lattes for long enough to allow Gibbs to complete his unpleasant task. When it seemed likely that the matter would be finished, Jenny sighed and said that they both should probably get back to work, and they strolled back to the office together.

Her office sounded quiet, so Jenny opened the door and prayed that she wouldn't find Gibbs still dealing with McGee. To her relief, Jethro was nowhere in sight. But just as she was about to return to her desk, she noticed that Tim was still in the room, staring out the window and quietly sniffling. Jenny closed the door behind her, and as it clicked shut Tim spun around, startled.

"Director, I'm sorry – I shouldn't still be here. I'll go. I'm sorry."

Despite the words spilling out of his mouth, Tim didn't actually make any effort to move. Jenny felt her earlier sympathy for the young man return.

"It's OK, Tim. You can stay for a few minutes until you're sure you're ready."

Tim smiled weakly at her understanding.

"Thank you, Director."

"Have a seat, McGee."

Tim cringed at the suggestion. "I think that I'll just stand here, if that's OK."

"Part of the punishment is having to sit on it afterwards, Tim." Jenny said in her director's voice. Then she softened her tone. "But why don't you take my chair. It's got a bit more cushioning." She took a seat on the visitor's side of her desk and waited for Tim to follow her instruction. He lowered himself carefully into her executive chair, wincing slightly at the contact.

Jenny observed him for a few seconds. Tim was staring down at the desk, avoiding her gaze.

"You surprised me today, Tim." she began.

Tim replied without meeting her eye. "I know. I'm so sorry. It was such a stupid thing to do. I don't know what I was thinking when I picked up the baseball. I feel like such an idiot."

"That's not what I meant."

Tim looked up at her quizzically.

"I was referring to before, with Gibbs. The choice that you made." Jenny clarified.

The reminder seemed to embarrass Tim. "Oh, that. I guess it just...I don't know. It just seemed to be the right choice at the time."

"It was."

Tim seemed surprised by her comment. "But you…you wanted me to do, you know, the other thing."

"That's my job, Tim."

"So you thought that Gibbs should, um, that he should…"

"Whip you?"

Tim nodded.

"No, I think that Gibbs was right to let you choose. But I think that you made the smart choice. And the brave choice."

Tim was obviously unnerved by the unexpected compliments. He replied tentatively, "I don't know. Maybe. I think the suspension might have been a bit less…um…you know…Gibbs was very…thorough…"

Jenny smiled. "He always was."

She watched as Tim registered what she was implying.

"You mean you…I mean, did he…to you…?"

"Yes."

Tim's eyes were wide. He blurted out, "With his belt?" Then, realizing what he was asking, he quickly backpedalled, "No, I'm sorry. That's none of my business. I shouldn't have asked that."

"It's OK. Yes, he used his belt."

Jenny saw a pained look cross Tim's face, and she realized that he felt badly for her. She kept her own expression blank, but she found it touching that someone who'd so recently been punished in exactly the same way could be in anguish at the thought of someone else having to live through the experience.

"It's just that…I wouldn't have thought..." Tim didn't seem sure about whether he should say what he was thinking, but then he continued. "It just doesn't seem like something that Gibbs would do, you know, to you."

"Well, you're not the only one who's ever made a choice, Tim." she said cryptically.

* * *

_Gibbs was pissed. He hadn't spoken to her the entire way back to the apartment where they were staked out. He didn't have to – she knew what he was angry about, and she knew that when he did speak they were going to have a giant argument about what had happened._

_He started in on her as soon as the door closed behind him._

"_That was amateur, Jenny."_

"_Well, I'm sorry that you don't approve of my methodology."_

"_Methodology? Is that what they're calling defying a direct order these days?"_

"_It was my call, Jethro, and I made a decision. Live with it."_

"_Lose the attitude, Jen. And the fact that you were alone with the suspect and out of contact doesn't make it your call. My instructions to you were clear."_

_Unfortunately Jenny knew that Gibbs was right, though she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of saying so. Once she had gone into the building with the suspect a plan occurred to her that she thought would work better than what her senior partner had proposed. With him out of communication range, she didn't think there had been anything to lose. She couldn't have been more wrong, but there was no point dwelling on that now._

_"Look, I did what I did, and it's over now." She turned to go – what she really needed was a long hot shower._

"_I'll decide when it's over." His tone had changed, and Jenny wasn't sure what to make of it. She turned back and saw him sitting down on the couch._

"_I don't know what else there is to talk about. The suspect went straight to the train station after…"_

_Gibbs cut her off. "We're not going to be talking. Now come over here and lie across my lap."_

_Jenny stared at him in disbelief._

"_Yeah, I really don't think that's going to happen, Jethro."_

"_You screwed up, you get punished. That's the way it works."_

"_Well, I'm pretty sure that you've never told Burns to lie across your lap when he's screwed up." she retorted, referring to another junior agent who often worked with their team._

"_If it was Burns, he'd be face down over the table with my belt blazing stripes across his ass."_

_Before she could stop herself, Jenny snapped back, "I guess you'd better take off your belt, then."_

_They were at an impasse, and for a few moments they just glared at each other. Then, to her horror, Gibbs stood up and reached for his belt buckle. Realizing that she'd basically just invited him to do so, Jenny swallowed hard and walked over to the table, putting herself into position for the first spanking of her adult life._


	5. Chapter 5

"He never gave me a choice before." Tim's words brought Jenny back to the present.

"Well, I wouldn't expect it to become a regular occurrence." She grinned at Tim. "Are you ready to go back to work now?"

Tim's face dropped. "Yeah, I guess. I know that I should. I'm sorry that I took up so much of your time."

"Tim, it's fine. I asked you to stay. But at some point you're going to have to face him again."

"I know." Tim looked so miserable at the prospect it was hard for Jenny not to go over and hug him.

"Tim, part of the point of a spanking is that when it's over, it's over. It's a way to move on. Hasn't Gibbs told you that?"

Tim nodded in assent, "He has. But I'm not very good at that part yet." He sounded so genuinely disappointed in himself that it took all of Jenny's willpower not to laugh out loud at the innocence and honesty of the reply.

Very matter-of-factly, Tim stated, "No one ever punished me like this before Gibbs."

"You don't have to let him, you know." Jenny replied kindly. "If it's ever something that you want to stop, you're to say so, and you'll have my support.

Tim was quiet for awhile as he thought about her comments. "Thanks." He spoke slowly, figuring out what he wanted to say as he went along. "But, I don't know. I hate it, but I also think I get it. I mean, I think I understand why he does it. And I wish I didn't do stuff to deserve it, but when I do, I guess I'm kind of OK with him punishing me that way." Tim looked at her hesitantly. "Is that crazy?"

Jenny was impressed by Tim for the second time today. "No, Tim. It's not crazy. It gets into your system, and sometimes…" Jenny paused. "Well, sometimes it's the only thing that makes things right again."

* * *

_Jenny lay in bed, her back to Gibbs. She saw that the sun was starting to rise, but she wasn't sure if she'd slept at all. Even after a sexual release she'd not been able to turn her mind off, and she'd lain awake in bed, tormented by harsh and disparaging thoughts. _

_She'd made such a huge mistake. They'd spent months cultivating a relationship with this contact, but recently Gibbs had started to suspect that he was a double agent. Jenny refused to believe it – his story appeared to check out and the information he'd been providing had been solid and valuable. He was charming and intelligent, and well, now she knew he'd just been a remarkably skillful liar. But she hadn't been able to see that, and he was gone now, with classified documents that she had given him._

_When she'd faced Gibbs afterwards, she'd been ready for his anger. But his eyes had been compassionate. He'd said, "We both trusted our guts on this one, Jen." She'd expected him to add, "And yours was wrong" but the criticism hadn't come. He hadn't discussed the matter after that, and she knew that he understood that her actions hadn't been rash or willfully disobedient. _

_Still, he didn't try to tell her that it wasn't her fault, because that would have been a lie. And he didn't need to, because it was all her own mind was telling her. The unrelenting voice in her head was biting and sarcastic. Over and over again, it reminded her how gullible and naïve and stupid she'd been. _

_There was only one thing that made sense to her now. _

"_Jethro?" she whispered, unsure if he was awake._

_He rolled over and silently put a hand on her arm._

"_What happened yesterday…" she trailed off._

"_Jen, you can't go there."_

"_I want you to punish me for it."_

_She had his full attention now. He pushed himself up on his elbow and she turned to face him._

"_Jen, no."_

"_I screwed up."_

"_That's not the point."_

"_Then what is the point? I fucked up, worse than I've ever fucked up before. Isn't that the way it works? I screw up, and you punish me for it."_

"_Not like this."_

"_Not like what?"_

"_You're in my bed, Jen. As my lover. For me to punish you now would be a violation of that relationship."_

"_So I'll get out of bed." she said wryly._

"_I'm serious, Jen. It doesn't work this way."_

_She respected him for having such boundaries, for not wanting to take advantage of their intimate personal relationship, which was already excessively complicated. But she knew this wasn't going away any other way. She looked at him desperately and pleaded with him._

"_Please Jethro. I need this." _

_It took him awhile to answer, and she held her breath. She didn't know what she'd do if he refused. Finally, he broke the silence._

"_OK. But not in the bedroom. Wait for me in the living room."_

_Jenny felt a strange combination of relief and anxiety. She slipped from the bed and made her way towards the door. She turned back to Gibbs, who was now sitting up and pulling on a shirt. _

"_Don't forget to grab your belt." It was an awkward thing to say, but even though she had asked for this to happen, the situation was making her feel slightly off-balance. _

_Gibbs stood up. _

"_What you're asking for is going to take something more than a belt."_

_Jenny's stomach flipped, and she wondered what he meant as she made her way to the other room._

_While she waited for Gibbs her mind taunted her with scenes from the past few weeks. She could see now what a pawn she'd been in the man's game, how easily she'd fallen for his elaborate deception. It sickened her to remember herself laughing at his charming anecdotes, to feel his hand brushing her arm when they met for drinks to trade information. Or rather, when she had turned over state secrets in exchange for a fabrication. _

_At the sound of footsteps she turned to see Gibbs in the doorway, holding a cane. For the life of her she couldn't fathom why the hell he would have a cane on hand, but it wasn't the right time to ask. And for some reason, even though she'd never experienced a cane before, it seemed to be what he was supposed to use this time._

"_Are you sure, Jen? It's not too late to change your mind."_

"_No. I'm sure." She was almost scared at how sure she was._

_He pulled a chair out from the table. "Come over here then. I'm going to have you bend over the chair."_

"_No. I'll take it against the wall." She wasn't sure what made her say that, but on the occasions that he'd put her in that position for a spanking, she'd been acutely aware of the willpower it took to hold position. Somehow it seemed important to recreate that experience now._

"_A cane is a harsh implement, Jen. It'll be easier if you have something to hold on to."_

"_It's not supposed to be easy."_

"_It'll be plenty hard over the chair. Trust me."_

_She did trust him. But she needed to do this her way. She waited, not moving towards the proffered chair, and finally he relented. He nodded at her, and she understood that he was giving his consent._

_Jenny moved over to the wall, spread her legs, and leaned forward. She braced herself with her hands and closed her eyes. _

_Behind her Gibbs moved into position. _

"_OK, Jen. That's the last decision you make about this punishment. You're not in charge anymore. I decide how much you get, how long, and how hard. And when I say it's over, it's over. Do you understand?"_

"_I'll try, Jethro."_

"_Not good enough."_

_Jenny didn't know how she could be sure that it would be enough. But even though he hadn't wanted to do this to her, she had to acknowledge that he'd always known what she needed and what she could take. She'd trusted him enough to ask for this, and she'd have to trust him to do it well. _

"_I trust you."_

_She hadn't answered the question exactly, but it must have been the right answer._

"_I'm going to give you four light strokes first so that you get used to where the cane's going to land. Then it starts for real."_

_Jenny steeled herself for the punishment that she knew she'd earned. The warm-up was confusing and frustrating – she desperately wanted it to hurt, and instead it felt like he was teasing her with the mild sting that came from the first four strokes. She shifted irritably in place, and he laid the cane across her behind until she stilled._

_The cane was pulled away, and then it came swiftly whistling down on her ass. The pain was searing, and she cried out sharply. It was unlike anything she'd ever experienced with his belt. Usually the pain built up over the course of the spanking, and she was able to hold her emotions in check until he was nearly finished. But just one stroke of the cane had left her gasping for breath, and she didn't have a chance to recover before he brought it down for a second time. _

_He gave her five unrelenting strokes, and she screamed in agony at each one. Then he was done, and she started to sob uncontrollably, still in position. Gibbs pulled her into his arms, and as her knees sagged he helped her drop to the floor in his grasp. He held her tightly, cradling her head as she cried and cried, first from the unimaginable pain of the caning, and then from the release of her anger and self-loathing over allowing herself to be double-crossed. _

_Finally she was depleted, and she could breathe deeply again. She felt a sense of calmness return, and knew that she would be OK._

_* * *_

Jenny focused an encouraging smile at Tim. "Do you think you're ready now?

"I think so." Tim sounded hopeful, as though maybe saying the words would make them true.

"You'll be fine."

"Is Colonel Austin going to make trouble for you when he finds out I'm not suspended?"

By now Jenny had almost completely forgotten about why Tim had even been punished in the first place. She was moved by the fact that Tim not only remembered how she had first gotten involved, but was now concerned for her.

"That's not for you to worry about, McGee. I can handle Colonel Austin, and besides which, I think you've paid your dues today."

Tim blushed at the memory, but nonetheless smiled shyly at her as he left her office. Closing the door behind him, Jenny realized warmly that what had started as an unpleasant administrative task had ended with her sharing a surprisingly personal moment with Tim, and she was glad to have had the experience.


End file.
